Science Fair: Ranchvale currently conducts it’s science fair in conjunction with the district, rather than independently as it did prior to 1996. We still maintain that parent involvement is important, but would like to afford our students the opportunity to compete at higher levels should they wish. Our science fair therefore is open to ALL students at all grade levels, and includes class projects. Students in Kindergarten - third grade are encouraged to have parents help, stipulating only that students must be active participants and fully understand the project. Students in grades four - six compete against each other in district appointed categories. Parents are again encouraged to be involved, but the final product must be the student’s work. Cannon Air Force Base has been a valued partner in providing science fair judges.
Book-It is a 5-month reading incentive program for children in grades K-6 that is sponsored by Pizza Hut. Students set goals for reading practice and are awarded “pizza award” certificates if they meet their monthly goal. Many of Ranchvale’s teachers use this incentive program in conjunction with Accelerated Reading.
Wrangler Buddies: Several classrooms pair with another classroom to facilitate cross-age student buddies. Buddies read with each other once a week and often work together on projects. The relationships also provide younger students with older role models and a friend who will support them in times of difficulty.
Yearbook: Our yearbook staff is composed of 6th grade students, under the direction of 1 or 2 faculty members. Each classroom designs their own classroom pages, and the yearbook staff is responsible for designing the other pages. Yearbooks are sold to the students as a service, with a minimal profit to cover the cost of next year’s film and film processing.
Spirit Days: Each Friday is School-spirit Day and those wearing a Ranchvale T-Shirt or school colors are recognized. Planned throughout the year, these other 'spirit' days are theme oriented, e.g. Western Day, Circus Day, Crazy Hat Day, Looney-Tunes Day, etc. Students and teachers are encouraged to participate in these special dress-up days to provide school-wide bonding opportunities. We are trying to create feeling of “family” and belonging at “The Ranch.”
Music: Our music programs include the presentation of “musicals” throughout the school year. These programs are presented by combinations of grade levels at different times of the year, usually providing at least 4 programs a year. These programs are presented twice, once in assembly/rehearsal form for the school children, and then again in the evening for parents. These programs are very well attended by our parents. During the Christmas presentations an admission charge of 1 can of food is collected. The food is them donated to the Lifesaver Food bank or Cannon Pantry by the children of Ranchvale.
Forty students in grades 4-6 compete and are selected to participate in a Ranchvale Elementary Honor Choir. Students practice daily in preparation for the district “All Choral Night.” This is done in each elementary school in the district. Then, all elementary school honor choirs are combined for a Grand Concert on All Choral Night, featuring in part, the “Elementary Honor Choir.” All Choral Night combines the music talents of Clovis students at all age levels and is extremely well attended by community members (often to standing room only).
Several Honor Choir members are also active participants in the Ambassador Choir and compete individually for the NM All-State Choir. For the last 3 year, 2 - 7 students from Ranchvale have been selected for the All-State Choir. The Ranchvale Honor Choir has performed at the Ranchvale Baptist Church’s Community Thanksgiving service (4 years) and the Cannon Air Force Base Tree Lighting ceremony (6 years).
Students in fifth grade are eligible to participate in a school recorder choir. These groups meet during recess and provide additional performances during “Musicals” for parents.
All sixth grade students are invited to participate in band, and those who are interested meet with the band teacher and parent(s) to decide which instrument would be best for each individual student. The purchase or rental of the instrument is the responsibility of the family. Band classes are offered at Ranchvale daily, with individual sections meeting on some days, and the whole band meeting on others. This rotation of instruction allows for more individualized attention at least once a week.
Field Day: Held near the last week of school, this fun day provides all students the opportunity to compete in physical activities such as track and field events. Students compete against classmates. The atmosphere is one of fun, and although somewhat competitive, there are many opportunities to win for all students. A hamburger cookout during the lunch hour is a highlight of the day. Our PE coach does the planning of this day.
Spelling Bee: Students in grades 3-6 are invited to participate in our school spelling bee, with the winner eligible to continue progressively competing at the district, state, and national competitions. Our pronouncer has been a retired Ranchvale teacher whom we are all happy to renew acquaintance with or Air Force personnel, and our judges are typically from our Central Office staff or Air Force personnel as a way of encouraging them to be actively involved at Ranchvale. Participant ribbons or certificates are presented to all those who attempt this competition and “medals” are given to the top three winners. The sponsorship of this competition is the 3rd grade faculty members.
Family Literacy Night began in 1997 and has taken on a difference appearance each year. It an opportunity for the Ranchvale staff to share with our families the wonderful literacy opportunities provided daily to our students. Since our students spend a good portion of their instructional day immersed in literacy activities that do not produce a “worksheet” for parents to see, it is beneficial to our parents to attend this evening program.
Kindergarten “graduation” is scheduled in the evening to accommodate working parents. It is our best attended program. Kindergarten students present a short program that highlights many things these children have learned throughout the year. A slide show of student pictures taken throughout the year divides the program from the presentation of the promotion certificates.
Our Egg Drop Contest is open to all students. The goal is to design a biodegradable container to protect a raw egg against the impact of a drop from a specific height (e.g. top of the school building). Guidelines are written each year to set parameters for design. It is our hope to involve our local electric company or Cannon AFB fire department by providing a bucket truck that extends higher than the roof of our building.
Promotion: Our sixth grade promotion is planned by our sixth grade teachers. Certificates are presented to all graduating 6th grade students. A sixth grade breakfast is held the morning prior to honor our graduating 6th graders, or a receptions is provide prior to the graduation ceremony.
A funtime carnival is held each year at “The Ranch,” not only as a fund raising event, but also as an opportunity for quality family time together. The carnival is usually held the first Friday evening in October, before cold weather might set in. It is a well attended event by all staff and many of our Ranchvale families.
Quartly Awards: Students are eligible for recognition in academics, effort, attendance, and character each of the four grading periods. Recognition awards are given for A Honor Roll, A/B Honor Roll (no more than 2 B’s), perfect attendance (with no more than 2 tardies or early releases), outstanding effort/gain in one particular area, and/or Character Counts!. Awards typically are given in the form or pencils, certificates, ribbons, bumper stickers, and pins. Quarterly assemblies are held to acknowledge these award winners.
Two awards assemblies are held during the last week of school to honor students who have received awards for all four of the grading periods. One assembly is for K-2 grade students and one for 3-6 grade students. Students are also eligible for special raffle prizes following the presentation of the year’s awards. One raffle ticket is given to each student for each time their name appeared on a quarterly award list. Tickets are divided into grade levels, K-2 and 3-6. Approximately 10-12 gifts are available at each assembly (gifts are community business donations).Recognition is given to one child in each class for the modeling of the 6 pillars of character: Responsibility, Citizenship, Caring, Fairness, Trustworthiness, Respect. A “Star Student” bulletin board is on display to recognize our students showing good character. A pizza party with the principal is held monthly for these students, and each student receives a “Student of the Month” pencil and pin.
Other Opportunities
Various opportunities are presented each year for students to participate in local, state, or national poster contest and writing/essay contests. Several students had their poems published over the years in a Poetry Anthology.
As we reflect on the large array of activities our students participate in during a school year and remember many others that are carried out in individual classrooms, we are impressed with the variety and opportunity. We continue to keep our sights set on making activities such as these contributors to the students’ educational training, not just fun things to do at school. We will continue to challenge ourselves to create new and different activities that will interest our students, enhance the educational setting and in the end advance our students intellectually and/or socially. We must be ever aware that as the world changes our schools, the activities we plan must change as well. It will be our goal to remain sensitive to that as we plan future activities.
Currently Ranchvale has fewer school partnership with the community than desired, but continues to seek out availability and commitment from local businesses. Cannon Air Force Base has identified Ranchvale as a partnership school. Air Force personnel have been active in helping with large-scale projects such as assembling new playground equipment and painting existing equipment. Cannon Air Force Base personnel are often utilized as guest speakers and presenters. Approximately one-half of the squadron commanders accept our invitation to lunch and a school tour during National School Lunch Week. Several classroom mentors come from Cannon Air Force Base. Other partnership activities are being sought, in particular the availability of more Air Force personnel as reading mentors and/or tutors. Ranchvale students have been involved in volunteering to plant hundreds of trees on Earth Day for the base and providing Christmas music for the yearly Tree Lighting ceremony each Christmas.
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(575) 985-2277